Monday, 17 June

On Monday morning, Alix watches Nathan behave as if everything is normal after his second weekend bender in a row. His repeated failures to come home make Alix seriously question the future of their marriage, and she weighs him again as a list of pros and cons. After Nathan leaves without affection, Alix walks Leon and Eliza to school while thinking about a promised puppy, the end of her current All Woman podcast run, and her lack of a new project.

After school drop-off, Alix runs into Josie, whom she recognizes as her birthday twin from the pub. Josie says her daughters, Erin and Roxy, once attended the school, and Alix notices Josie’s small dog Fred and Josie’s coordinated denim look. When Alix tries to leave, Josie asks to talk about their birthday connection; Alix resists, but Josie’s desperate manner and tearful eyes make Alix agree to visit Josie the next afternoon at the alterations shop where Josie works.

The chapter shifts to Josie at 6 p.m. Josie works part-time at Stitch, a job she took at thirty-five after years of domestic life and child-rearing left her with few outside skills. At home, Walter is researching Lake District holidays but complains about prices despite Josie mentioning her recent windfall. Josie passes Erin’s closed bedroom, hears gaming noises inside, and chooses not to knock because she cannot face the smell and mess; thinking of Erin immediately leads Josie to worry about Roxy, who left home young.

Josie prepares dinner for Walter while also heating six jars of baby food for Erin, carefully avoiding peas and making sure the food is warm rather than hot. Josie leaves the tray outside Erin’s door without knocking, knowing the jars will later reappear empty. When Walter takes Fred for a walk, Josie watches him drag the dog impatiently and later suspects Walter is lying when he says Fred did not defecate. While cooking, Josie searches online for recent results for Roxy Fair, as she does twice daily, though she suspects Roxy may have changed her name.

That night, Josie and Walter eat in front of the television, go to bed, and both pretend to sleep. After half an hour Walter leaves the bed, and Josie stretches out, knowing she will have it to herself for the rest of the night. A later Netflix documentary excerpt then shows neighbour Amy Jackson calling Josie Double Denim, describing Josie and Walter as odd neighbours, recalling a loud household that suddenly went quiet, and revealing that the later story involves killings and deaths.